Melakka

One last time we go to the Infinity Pool before we check out. We meet Jasmin at the bus station. She is very late, but still arrives on time with her heavy luggage. Since the bus is half an hour late, Jasmin has unfortunately rushed for nothing. We cross the country border to Malaysia and get an additional stamp in our passport. When we arrive in Malacca, it is already late afternoon and we buy a dish with a drink for 10 Malaysian Ringgit (RM). That's less than 2 €. Then we take an Uber taxi to our hostel in Chinatown. The Ringo's Foyer Guesthouse is run by Howard, who is very friendly and tries to get everyone to know each other. We sleep in an 18-bed room, each bed is its own cabin and is separated by a curtain. The hostel also has a cozy rooftop terrace with seating and 2 hammocks.

As it gets dark, we go to the Night Market on Jonker Street, which takes place on weekends and is fortunately only a minute's walk away. There are all sorts of different dishes, drinks, souvenirs and other knick-knacks offered. For example, we try a Longan juice (dragon eye fruit), which reminds me a little of sugar beet syrup, a funnily decorated dumpling filled with chocolate and lotus seed, quail egg skewers with ham and a spring roll. There is so much more to try, so we go to the market all weekend. At midnight, the last shops close and we go back.

The next day we explore Malacca and its UNESCO World Heritage Site. A district from colonial times influenced by the Dutch, Portuguese and Japanese. Later we visit the floating mosque. Jasmin and Claudi have to cover themselves and wear headscarves. I, on the other hand, get a long blue robe. In the mosque itself, women have their own prayer area separated by a curtain, so they do not have direct eye contact with the Oman.

Afterwards, tired from walking, we take a taxi back to the hostel before going to the night market again. There are potato dough pressed and fried in strips with delicious sauces, Dim Sim (meat, fish, tofu balls with vegetables). Claudi treated herself to a chocolate-filled fish-shaped wafer with ice cream and I had a coconut milk with vanilla ice cream.

We spend today planning our trip to Malaysia and only have a quick lunch. Once everything is planned, we visit the night market again. We try a delicious pork-filled rice ball wrapped in banana leaves, dragon fruit shakes with Yacult, Popiah in Japanese style (filled with carrots, cabbage, corn, peanuts and sauce wrapped in seaweed) and Fruit Rojak (fruits in soy sauce sprinkled with peanuts). We also experience our first monsoon rain, which finally makes it a bit cooler.